Fig. 5.

DAT expression is slightly altered in the ventral tegmental area. After the third and final BPM assessment, mice were sacrificed and brain were taken for immunostaining to determine the effects of METH exposure and Tat expression on the dopamine transporter (DAT). No effects were seen on DAT expression in the nucleus accumbens (A). In the ventral tegmental area, saline-treated mice tended to have higher DAT expression, driven mainly by WT, male mice (B). Neither sex, METH exposure, nor Tat expression altered DAT expression in the caudate putamen (C). A representative image of immunohistochemistry for DAT (brown) on a paraffin embedded mouse brain, sagittal section, ventral tegmental area. Original magnification 5×; no counterstaining (D). Data presented as mean ± SEM. # = p < 0.1.